Ian just got done preaching out of Ephesians 3:1-7 and explained how God’s power makes the Son known through the Spirit’s work in us. He spent time examining exactly what Paul says about God’s calling and covered three important points.

Ephesians 3

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you,3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Stephen just got done preaching out of Ephesians 2:19-22 and how in God’s household we’re aliens becoming children; we’re sinners becoming saints and strangers becoming family. He spent time examining exactly what Paul says about God’s household and covered three important points.

Ephesians 2:14-18

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Stephen has just finished walking us through Ephesians 2:11-13 where we looked at how Jesus’ blood brings the alienated and hopeless near. He walked us through how the text was calling us to remember two things:

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Stephen just got done preaching out Ephesians 2:1-7 and he encouraged us that it’s important to remember who we once were in order to treasure who we are now in Jesus. He walked us through 3 realities that Paul offers us from his letter:

In Jesus we go from death to life

In Jesus we go from slavery to liberty

In Jesus we go from wrath to riches

Download our Field Guide below to work through these ideas further before Community Group this week.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ian walked us through our last installment in Ephesians; Ephesians 1:19-23. He spent time in the passage explaining how Christ is Lord over all because he gave of himself to all and he used three support ideas to communicate that thought effectively.

God’s power raised Christ from our sin and now He rules

Christ is over everything that we value…. whether we like it or not

Christ is in us…now no one can stand against us

Download our field guide below and get stuck into it before Community Group this week.

Ephesians 1:15-23

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1:15-19 (ESV)

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

Ian spent this morning walking us through Ephesians 1:13-14 and it’s main idea: The gospel saves us, the Spirit seals us, and the Father is glorified by us. Here supported that main idea with three important truths to remember.

Salvation is the first step… not the last

The God who seals us is often ignored by us

Our guarantee inheritance is through God’s guaranteed glory

Take time this week in Community Group to flesh out some of these ideas.

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)

13) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.